NOVEMBER, 3


MAGIC – THE GATHERING: INNOCENT WHITE

Action / Fantasy
Cast: Jude Law, Claire Danes, Kevin Costner, Judi Dench, Geoffrey Rush. Voices of Ron Perlman, Jason Statham
Director: Martin Campbell
Screenwriter: David Makalaster

Box Office: 138 mill.
Net Gains: 105 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: A bit less successful than the first movie of the saga, but still a nice box office. I personally think that this sequel is much better than ‘Sinister Black’ and I have the feeling that, as time passes, this franchise will become as iconic and legendary as the main fantasy sagas like ‘Lord Of The Rings’. Anyway, I feel relief: It was an extremely expensive production. The movie was released in 8.000 theatres, a number only reached by very few CMP’s productions. It was a high risk release so net gains are very much welcome in this case.

GASPIPE

Gangster / Drama
Cast: Andy Garcia, Carla Gugino, Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen, James Gandolfini, Jeff Goldblum, Matt O’Leary, Chazz Palminteri
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenwriter: Dawson Edwards

Box Office: 50 mill.
Net Gains: 18 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: I enjoyed this movie. Maybe a bit higher box office was expected. But, anyway, it made profits and I liked it as a moviegoer besides my interests as the Studio’s President. So I feel satisfied.

THE ROCK STAR

Drama
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett, Allison Collins
Director: Sam Mendes
Screenwriter: Josh Collins


Box Office: 12 mill.
Net Losses: 17 mill.

Stark’s Reaction: Damn it! Maybe Bob Felton is right. Maybe I am a jinx. Each time I say I specially like a movie, it automatically becomes a box office’s flop. I must confess I feel particularly frustrated not being able to make this one work. I think it was a nice and great story, I liked the cast, I like Sam Mendes and I loved the music and the sentimental atmosphere of it all… Damn, damn, damn!


MAGIC – THE GATHERING: INNOCENT WHITE

‘First of all, I must say I’m not a big fan of fantasy worlds’ epic movies. I don’t feel crazy about elves, trolls, hobbits or any other kind of fantastic creatures. Once said so, I must admit this is an spectacular movie. Martin Campbell has created an amazing show. The greatness of the scenarios, the perfectly designed digital creatures, the awesome battles sequences… everything around it is so epic and full of ‘grandeur’ that I just felt hypnotized with that ‘bigger than life’ spirit that came out from the movie screen. Each cent spent in this movie is justified and shown on screen. Martin Campbell has nothing to envy to Peter Jackson.’
-Vic Carter

‘This movie is like an overdose of fantasy and imagination. The only problem is that you can be trapped by it or just feel lost. The storyline of this movie is designed for initiated fans of the card game it is based in. If you are not, it requires an special effort of concentration to get into it. If you don’t – as it is my case: I sometimes just feel lost trying to follow the plot -, just relax and enjoy the show. The movie has enough amazing sequences that you can enjoy even if you don’t completely understand who is who and what’s going on. This is a movie to let you go and get wrapped by its visual strength. Campbell and Makalaster have taken their creativity capacity to extremes with this baroque and gothic show.’
-Amy Ratched

‘Creating an own universe and making it believable and appealing for others is not an easy task at all. Lucas and Star Wars, Jackson and Lord Of The Rings and not many more have been capable to do it. Now, ‘Magic – The Gathering’ joins that selected group. This movie – even better than its predecessor – definitely settles a new fantastic universe with its own personality defined by its specific visual elements, myths, references and iconic characters. I am sure that a legion of freaks of ‘MTG’ will arise now to devour any merchandising, books, new cards, comics or anything related with this saga. And yes, ‘Mojo Face’ joins too the selected club of iconic creatures together with other digital guys like Yoda or Gollum.’
-Roy Winslow

GASPIPE

‘I don’t know if there will ever be a ‘The Godfather – Part 4’. Maybe Coppola will never make it. But it doesn’t matter anymore. At the end of ‘The Godfather – Part 3’ it was obvious that the only possible heir of the Corleone family was Andy Garcia’s character. So ‘Gaspipe’ could be perfectly assumed as a kind of an unofficial ‘Godfather 4’, no matter it is based on a true character. Ridley Scott has religiously respected all the rules of a mafia movie. His movie is the direct heir of ‘The Godfather’, ‘Goodfellas’, ‘The Sopranos’ or CMP’s ‘The Heirs’. It has the taste of the classics and no pretension to innovate at all in the genre. It is as predictable in the picture of the characters, their conversations, their reactions and their general behavior as enjoyable for all those that love a good mafia movie from time to time. An exercise of classicism here. And now we know what could have been with the Corleone’s family.’
-Charlie Kiggs

‘It is a usual joke to say that CMP’s authors suffer at least a double personality syndrome. And that appeals particularly for Dawson Edwards. Edwards is like two screenwriters in one. He can write the most inconsistent story (‘The Killing Run’) or the flimsiest superhero plot (‘Aquaman’) but then he can also write the most absorbing and interesting adult story (‘Fallen Kings’, ‘Blood Meridian’). Luckily, ‘Gaspipe’ joins that second category. Edwards has written a solid and perfectly paced biopic of the last Don of New York’s mafia. And Scott has turned it into images with his usual efficiency (doing a much better job here than in his other approach to New York’s mean streets, ‘American Gangster’). The result is the hypnotizing picture of that seductive and cold modern gangster that finally betrays his own world wonderfully played by Andy Garcia in what probably is the best acting work of his whole career.’
-Anne Roman

‘It is difficult to point out anything bad about this solid mob story. Maybe, the only negative point is the absolute lack of originality in its casting choices. Garcia plays again Vincent Mancini (his character in ‘The Godfather 3’); Ray Liotta plays Ray Liotta again (remember ‘Goodfellas’); Chazz Palminteri plays again the mob’s dad in his youngest years (‘A Bronx Tale’); James Gandolfini is quite familiar with the genre (‘The Sopranos’)… I was surprised Joe Pesci and De Niro were not around. But probably all that was deliberate. Ridley Scott was not looking for innovation here. In fact, he has loyally respected all the clichés and stereotypes of all those movies. Cause probably Scott wanted to pay tribute to all those mentioned works. And he has. ‘Gaspipe’ is a more than decent member of all the main references of the genre it belongs to.’
-Tim Reeve

THE ROCK STAR

‘Beautiful. Yes, this movie has a strange beauty. The beauty of losers. The poetry of failure. That epic poetry level that only some movies reach. And yes, I have to mention here the wonderful ‘The Wrestler’ or the interesting ‘Leaving Las Vegas’. Mendes has perfectly recreated the hopeless and nostalgic spirit of a decadent talent trying to hold to his last reason to live (as usual, a woman). At the end, his brave reaction when the gas station is robbed is only another way of committing suicide, the same way it was going back to wrestling fights or drinking without a pause for the characters in those other movies. Yes, I felt moved by this story. It makes us remember how weak success and dreams are.’
-Chris Burgess

‘Sam Mendes has brilliantly directed this solid Josh Collins’ story. He has returned to an issue similar to his previous CMP’s movie, ‘When Dreams Die’. That movie talked about the bad times of a young sport star. This one goes further talking about the last days of a fallen rock idol. What was a too soft dramedy there, becomes here a highly emotional experience both content in its narrative style but with a sentimental intensity behind at the same time. ‘The Rock Star’, sadly ignored by audiences, is condemned to become one of those hidden gems to discover or revisit from time to time.’
-Jack Willer

‘Jeff Bridges is like the good wine: it gets better as time passes. His character here – that brought me some reminiscences of his brilliant work years ago in ‘The Fabulous Baker Boys’ – sustains the whole movie with his bittersweet appeal. But the big surprise in the movie is to discover that Kate Beckinsale can act! Yes, Beckinsale has shown here that she is something more than only the recently chosen Sexiest Woman Alive and the sexy presence in so many arguable movies. She has taken the best of the opportunity this movie offered her to prove she can also make a solid acting work. She is sweet, sexy, dramatic, emotional, weak and strong all in one character showing so many different acting levels that redeem her from the many lousy movies she has made in the past years.’
-Andrew Stampton


MAGIC- THE GATHERING: INNOCENT WHITE

CRITIQUE: If this doesn't make the studio the kind of money it made with the first one, something is wrong. Very rarely do we get to see a film as good as the first. MTG: Innocent White proves that there is something magical about this series based on a card game. Another fine work from Makalaster's fantasy series!
ACTING/CAST: B+
DIRECTION: B+
WRITING: A
PLOT/CONCEPT: A
PRODUCTION VALUES: A+
REWATCH VALUES: A
ENTERTAINMENT: Fans of the card game would watch it regardless. It's got everything you'd hope to see in a fantasy: action, fights, cool effects and a steady plot to focus on too.
OVERALL: A

GASPIPE

CRITIQUE: We almost went an entire season without having a crime/mafia movie. This was a wonderful piece from Dawson Edwards and he's grown a heck of a lot since his debut only a few seasons before. This might just be the other top GMA contender and rightfully deserved. These are the kinds of films actors like to take on as well. They know they're making something great and try their hardest to show it. What a magnificent work of art!
ACTING/CAST: A
DIRECTION: A
WRITING: A
PLOT/CONCEPT: A
PRODUCTION VALUES: A
REWATCH VALUES: A
ENTERTAINMENT: I sense the fans of mafia films would flock to see this one. The great action, cast and direction would be another reason. I think a lot of film goers are tired of seeing the disappointing nails on a chalkboard unoriginal popcorn flicks and horrors that have plagued the theaters since the summer.
OVERALL: A

THE ROCK STAR

CRITIQUE: Yes, we know it's CMP's answer to 'The Wrestler' and we don't care. A great film with several messages behind it. Finish school then do what you love to do. A man's journey of redemption and the price fame has. You don't think that one day when you're twenty and well loved that come ten or twenty years you'll be forgotten. Left to think about what was. A phenomenal film that I just know will have some GMAs behind it.
ACTING/CAST: A Jeff Bridges in particular
DIRECTION: A
WRITING: A
PLOT/CONCEPT: B
PRODUCTION VALUES: B+
REWATCH VALUE: A
ENTERTAINMENT: Characters and storyline would have the most entertaining appeal. It may be a drama, but it's one you can watch again and feel good about. Even if the ending ends rather sadly for Chuck.
OVERALL: A

MR. THUMBS' CERTIFIED PICK OF THE WEEK:

no question about it, I am proud to say:

SEE ALL THREE